


Out of Time

by Nostalgia-in-Starlight (UniverseEndingParadox)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Asthma, Established Relationship, M/M, Protective Bucky Barnes, Spooky, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 09:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8439946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseEndingParadox/pseuds/Nostalgia-in-Starlight
Summary: Steve and Bucky find themselves in a strange, deserted place with no way out.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A little story (that turned out longer than planned) for the season.

The chatter on the radio splutters abruptly just as the gas light blinks on. Bucky swears under his breath and jabs half-heartedly at the buttons. For his lack of enthusiasm the speakers only fill the car with the low buzz of static. He shuts it off moments later with another muttered curse, then glances guiltily over at Steve - thankfully still fast asleep in the passenger seat. Good. They’re not getting anywhere anytime soon and Steve needs his rest. He’d barely gotten over a nasty case of flu-turned-pneumonia and had insisted that he was well enough to travel. Bucky had wanted to wait a few more days to make the trip, but Steve had been adamant that they make it on time to Bucky’s parents’ for the annual family Halloween-weekend reunion. Now, stuck in barely moving traffic on the edge of nightfall with no radio signal and almost no gas, Bucky wishes he’d put his foot down for postponing. He flicks his eyes down to the gas light and sighs. This drive couldn’t get any worse.

He’s trying to calculate how far they’ve gotten when the automatic windshield wipers suddenly scrape across the glass, the noise startling in the otherwise quiet car. Bucky jumps and peers out the windshield into the gloom. The dense fog that had settled across the highway earlier isn’t showing any sign of letting up and now a light rain is dusting the windows. He can barely see the cars around them, their lights a faint glow in the haze, their bodies hardly shadows. There’s no hint of movement- the stillness oppressive, heavy. The gas light blinks again in his peripheral vision and his heart thumps hard against his chest. Craning his neck, Bucky looks to the side of road, hoping for any sign of a gas station. By some miracle he finds one...five hundred feet too far. Bucky slumps in his seat and groans.

“Buck?” Bucky jumps for the second time in so many minutes and takes a moment to berate himself for being so on edge. He turns and finds Steve blinking blearily, a furrow in his brow as he takes in the fog and stopped car.

“Hey,” Bucky says, reaching over to give Steve’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, “how’s my best guy?”

Steve rolls his eyes even as he’s stifling a cough. “I’m fine, Buck.” It’s exactly the answer that Bucky expects, but he’s long since learned to pick his battles. “Stop worrying.” Still, he can’t help but smile fondly as Steve stretches and sits up straighter, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes. He smiles some more when Steve takes his hand and laces their fingers together before peering out at the stopped traffic. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure,” Bucky admits. The glow of the brake lights in front of him suddenly dim and Bucky eases his foot off the pedal to follow. They only move a couple feet before coming to another stop. “It’s been like this for hours.”

“Have you heard anything on the radio?” Steve asks as he reaches to turn it on. Like before, a low buzz fills the car.

Bucky shakes his head. “Can’t get a signal,” he says, listening to Steve flick through the channels while keeping his gaze forward. The car in front has moved again, and Bucky is mentally crossing his fingers that this is a sign of things looking up. “Our cell phones aren’t working either - must be some kind of dead zone or something.” He has the distinct feeling of being wrong.

 

The car in front slows to another stop, and Bucky just knows it’ll be awhile before they move again. He puts the car in park and sighs in irritation. Steve is still fiddling with the radio, his obvious frustration growing with every subsequent channel of static. Bucky squeezes his hand to divert his attention and is momentarily taken aback by the intensity of the concern on Steve’s face. His heart speeds up. A lot of things have been running through his head since this whole thing started, but the feeling of unease hasn’t crept beyond background noise. Until now.

“Stevie?” he inquires.

Blue eyes shift to look out the windshield then back to him. Bucky can’t help but squeeze Steve’s hand again. Steve returns the gesture. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

Bucky’s first instinct is to disagree. He’s run through all the scenarios he can think of already. More likely than not, there’s some kind of large accident down the road that’s been exacerbated by the weather. But that doesn’t explain the uneasy feeling sitting in his stomach. Steve’s gazing intently at him, waiting. “Yeah.”

“We’ve never experienced a dead zone on this road before.”

“I know.”

Steve is peering out the windshield again. “Do you think the fog could be causing interference?”

 

Bucky frowns a little. The speakers are still putting out static and a glance at his phone confirms there’s still no service. If he’s being honest, he doesn’t know what to think. He opens his mouth to answer, but something catches his eye. Shifting in his seat, Bucky squints past the car in front. He’s not sure…

Something is moving between the cars ahead. At first he thinks it’s some kind of shadow created by the diffusion of light through the fog. But it gets a little closer and… It’s _limping_. Goosebumps ripple down Bucky’s arms.

“Steve,” he breathes, “do you see that?” Bucky doesn’t dare take his eyes off the image, but he feels Steve shift to get a better vantage point. For a long moment, it seems the world narrows to the sound of Steve breathing in his ear, the thud of his heart in his chest as he watches the – whatever it is – approach.

“I don’t see --” Stave starts, but is abruptly cut off when the radio suddenly emits a high pitched squeal that dies almost as fast as it’d started. They both startle this time and Bucky wrenches his gaze away from the shadow, just for a moment. Somehow, the radio had shut itself off, the normally lit panel gone dark. He untangles his hand from Steve’s and pokes at the power button.

It doesn’t turn on.

“The fuck?” he mutters the same time that Steve says his name. He looks up to find Steve staring at something behind him. Bucky turns just in time to see someone walking past their car. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thinks it’s probably what he was looking at earlier. Seconds later, another person passes by…followed by another. On the other side of the car, people are passing by too. They must be coming from somewhere down the road, but the rain and fog are so dense that they almost seem to be appearing out of the waterlogged air itself.

“What the hell is going on up there?” Bucky wonders aloud. Man, they really should’ve waited a couple of days. He grips the steering wheel with both hands when someone passes too close for comfort. Heart pounding, he tries to see if anyone in the cars around him are reacting to the sudden appearance of all these people. The fog is too thick. All he can see of the car next to him is the outline of two figures, neither of whom seem to be moving much. “Damn, we’re really stuck if people are leaving their cars.”

“Yeah,” Steve agrees softly. His voice is distant, distracted. “Do you think we should...Oh Jesus!”

Bucky whips his head around to look at Steve. “What?!”

There’s a man standing by their car, unmoving. His clothes are drenched, a large hood covering half of his face. There’s nothing about him that seems unusual. In a different situation, Bucky would’ve just ignored him completely. Now? Now Bucky can’t quite dismiss the slowly pooling dread in the pit of his stomach. His skin prickles uncomfortably and a slight shiver works its way down his body. He wants to reach out for Steve, but he’s frozen, limbs heavy. His mouth opens, but no sound comes out. His gaze doesn’t stray from the figure standing in the rain and it’s as if time slows. The world on either side of the passenger window holds its collective breath, waiting. Then, slowly, unsteadily the man ambles away.

Bucky exhales shakily, lungs aching from holding his breath. “Christ,” he mutters, shaking his head. He needs to get it together. There are more people passing the car now. Many of them are limping, he notices, some staggering. _Zombies_ , his mind whispers, but he dismisses the thought. Ridiculous. He tries to shake off the residue of dread still coiled in his core. Next to him, Steve suddenly starts coughing again, a deep grating hack that shakes the car. A couple of seconds later, Bucky is frowning in concern when the coughs don’t stop and Steve starts hunching his shoulders into himself.

“Steve?” Bucky twists in his seat to face Steve, reaching out with one hand to rub soothingly up and down his back. It’s an action he’s become all too familiar with over the past two weeks. “Come on, baby,” he says when the coughs finally stop and Steve tries to hunch more into himself, back muscles seizing with strain under Bucky’s hand. Bucky uses his other hand to urge Steve back into a more upright position. Steve’s face is flushed red and he’s panting from exertion, but the worst seems to be over for now. Bucky breathes a sigh of relief.

“That’s it, Stevie, just breathe. I’ve got you.” Steve’s eyes are squeezed shut, probably more out of embarrassment than anything as usual (which Bucky will never understand), but he finds Bucky’s arm and curls his fingers into the sleeve. Bucky uses his other hand to grab the water bottle from his door cup holder and unscrews the lid. “Here.” Steve takes the water bottle and takes a few cautious sips – not meeting Bucky’s eyes. His hand is trembling a little, but Bucky doesn’t comment. When Steve’s finished with the water, he hands the bottle back. Bucky takes a gulp from it too before putting it away. Then, he works his arm around Steve’s shoulders and pulls him close. The position is a bit awkward with the car’s center console between them, but Steve huffs a little and drops his head to lean against Bucky. Neither of them says anything for a while, just breathing in tandem. Bucky drops a kiss to the top of Steve’s head and rubs his hand up and down his side. What a trip this is turning out to be.

“You can say it, you know,” Steve says after they’ve both relaxed for a bit.

“Say what?”

Steve huffs again, breath warm against Bucky’s neck. “We should’ve waited a couple more days like you wanted to,” he finally acquiesces after a moment.

Bucky’s lips quirk. “Nah,” he says, “I wasn’t going to say anything, but thanks for telling me I was right.”

“Jerk.”

“Hmmm, you love it.” Bucky presses another fond kiss to the top of Steve’s head. “Besides,” he drawls, “this is just so much fun, don’t you think? Look, we’re on a mini road-trip, getting some quality cuddling time in the rain. It’s downright romantic is what is.” He pauses for effect. “Wanna move to the backseat, baby? I’ll make it worth your while.” Steve pulls out of Bucky’s arms, face incredulous, and lands a playful punch against Bucky’s shoulder. He opens his mouth to say something back, but never gets the chance.

 

A sudden thump against the side of the car abruptly destroys any remaining mirth in the car. Peering out through the fogged up windows, Bucky sees the figure of another person standing next to their car. Or maybe it’s the same guy from before. “What the hell?” he mutters, half afraid and half annoyed. The same feeling of dread settles heavily in his stomach once again. “What the hell is his problem?”

 

Next to him, Steve moves a hand to the door, finger reaching for the button to lower the window. Bucky grabs his arm before he can finish the movement. “Stevie, don’t.” Steve startles visibly, then glances briefly back at him, eyes wide and unfocused. The hair on the back of Bucky’s neck stands and he bites back a noise of fear. Something is wrong. “Stevie?”

 

“I think he wants to tell us something,” Steve says, his voice far away, and reaches for the button again. This time, Bucky grabs for his hands, squeezing them tight to get his attention. Steve’s hands are cold. 

 

“Steve? Stevie. Look at me, babydoll.” Bucky tugs on Steve’s hands until Steve turns away from the window to face him. His usually sharp blue eyes are still unfocused, and there’s a confused furrow to his brow that hadn’t been there moments ago. Bucky sucks in a breath. “Shit, baby, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

 

“Buck?” His voice is barely a whisper, faraway.

 

Bucky drops Steve’s hands in favor of framing Steve’s face with his palms. “Hey, I’m here. I’m right here. Tell me what’s wrong.” He brushes a thumb soothingly across Steve’s cheek and watches as Steve’s eyes flutter close for a brief second. When he opens them again, they no longer have that faraway look in them and Bucky sucks in a breath of anticipation as the familiar blue gaze locks onto his face.

 

“Bucky?” Steve’s voice is clear, strong. “What is it?” 

 

Bucky’s mouth works as he tries to come up with a response. He’s pretty sure he doesn’t know what’d just happened either. “You mean you don’t know?” he asks, searching Steve’s face for any lingering signs of distress before slumping back in his seat and running a hand wearily through his hair. Steve frowns.

 

“No? I’m not sure. I was really dizzy all of a sudden and my vision blurred. Felt like I was underwater or something. Then I heard you calling my name. It was weird.”

 

“Do you feel okay now?”

 

Steve considers it for a moment then nods. “Yeah. I feel fine.” Bucky takes a long look at him. He does look fine, as if the last couple of minutes hadn’t happened. Maybe he’d imagined the whole thing. Maybe he’d just been so creeped out by the guy standing outside that he’d let the fear get the best of him. Yeah. That had to be it. _It’s not_ the little voice in his head whispers, but Bucky pointedly ignores it.

 

“Okay,” he breathes, reaching out and taking Steve’s hand again. “That’s all that matters. You’re okay.” Steve squeezes his hand reassuringly and Bucky dredges up half a smile. He shifts and peers out into the gloom again. The person that’d been standing next to their car is nowhere to be seen. In fact, the whole highway is once again still, with no sign of people moving between the cars. The car in front hasn’t moved either, its brake lights still bright red in the dim lighting. 

 

“What do you think is going on?” Steve asks. 

 

“I don’t know,” Bucky says. “Car accident? The weather? Some combination of both?”

 

“Those people we saw earlier looked like they were injured or something,” Steve comments quietly. Huh. Bucky hadn’t thought of it like that. That seemed more logical than what his mind had came up with. “Think we should go help?” 

 

Bucky groans internally. Typical Steve. The final warning of the gas light saves him from having to say no. It’s not that he wouldn’t want to help if something was truly wrong, but something about this whole situation is setting Bucky’s teeth on edge. “We’ve got another problem,” he says instead of answering. “We’re out of gas.”

 

“What, really?!” Steve exclaims, leaning over to look at the indicator light. “Shit. Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” He straightens and looks out the window, presumably to see if there’s a gas station nearby. Of course, Bucky already knows that the closest one is still too far. 

 

“Forgot in the moment,” Bucky muttered. He picks up his phone, praying for service so that they could at least call for help if it comes down to it. Still nothing. Damn, they’re in trouble. 

 

Next to him, Steve makes a noise of excitement. “Buck, there’s a gas station right here!” 

 

“What?!” Bucky leans over and peers out the window. Sure enough, there’s an exit for a gas station right in front of them. He has to blink a couple of times to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. He half expects it to disappear. It doesn’t. Bucky can’t help but shake his head in bewilderment. “That’s strange,” he mutters under his breath. He could’ve sworn the sign had said the station was 500 ft ahead. There’s no way that they’ve traveled that far since he saw it. They haven’t moved at all! 

 

“Should we go?” Steve asks. “We’ve never stopped here before, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.” For a second, Bucky almost wants to say no. _Something isn’t right._ But it would be against all logical reasoning. They’d really be stuck with no fuel and no cell service if they don’t. Who knows how long this standstill is going to last? 

 

He untangles his hand from Steve’s to shift the car into gear in lieu of a verbal answer and flicks on the blinkers. After making sure there’s no car coming up on their side, he eases them out from between the two cars and drives the couple of feet to the exit ramp. It’s a little strange, Bucky thinks as the car follows the road down to where the gas station should be, that no other cars are pulling off the road along with them. They can’t be the only ones out of gas. Barring that, they can’t be the only ones who want a break from the traffic. 

 

It’s quiet in the car as they descend the ramp, both of them focused on peering out into the gloom. The rain and fog that had blanketed the highway extends off of the main road, it seems. Not that the little bit of distance should’ve made it any different. “There it is,” Steve says quietly a few moments later, pointing out the faint glow in the distance. Bucky squints out beyond the dark and makes out the outline of a small gas station on one side of the road. It’s dimly lit by two worn out streetlights that barely cancel the surrounding darkness. There’s a flickering bulb illuminating one of the two gas pumps. Bucky can only hope that they’re functional despite the dismal state of the whole place. 

 

“Think there’s anyone there?” Bucky says. There’s no other cars that he can see, but there’s a convenience store next to the gas station with a single light on inside. Someone has to be manning the store, right? The sight of it makes something curl nauseatingly in his stomach. 

 

“Guess we’ll see,” Steve says, uncharacteristically cryptic. The broad lines of his shoulders are tense when Bucky chances a momentary glance at him just before pulling up to the gas station. Perhaps he feels the same sense of foreboding that Bucky does. Perhaps it’s simply the sight of the run-down station that has both of them on edge. Carefully, Bucky eases the car up to the first pump and shuts off the engine. The sudden silence is oppressive, stealing the air from their lungs even as their hearts race in anticipation. Overhead, the single light bulb still burning flickers as if in warning. “Well. This place isn’t creepy at all.” Steve’s tone makes Bucky snort in amusement despite the situation. He glances gratefully at him before releasing a long breath and reaching for the door handle. The interior of the car floods with sudden light when he pushes the door open.

“It’s fine,” Bucky assures, his voice far steadier than his racing heart. He half expects something to jump out at him.

Nothing does.

The cool rush of fresh air into the car is refreshing, the smell of rain soothing in its familiarity. “It’s fine,” Bucky says again, this time more to himself than Steve. He slams the car door shut behind him as he climbs out, wincing at how the sound reverberated around the deserted gas station. The sound of a second door slamming makes him jump, but it’s only Steve.

“I’m gonna try and get a signal,” Steve explains, holding up his phone when Bucky gives him an inquiring look.

“Be careful,” Bucky says seriously. Normally, Steve would probably tease him for being overprotective, but today he only smiles slightly in acknowledgement. Then, he’s off walking around the area with his phone out, obviously trying to find a live spot in the dead zone. Bucky allows himself to watch Steve go for a few seconds before quickly turning and busying himself with fueling the car. It feels like some kind of victory when the gas pump, though old, turns out to be in perfect working order. Bucky leans back against the car to wait, rolling his shoulders to loosen the tension that'd settled there. Minutes later, he’s just putting away the nozzle and screwing the lid back onto the tank when he hears Steve come back. 

 

“Buck?” Bucky snaps his gaze up and around at the note of distress in Steve’s voice. But there’s no one there. Blinking in confusion, heart pounding, Bucky scans his surroundings. Once. Twice. Steve’s nowhere to be seen. Overhead, the light flickers again and the unease in his belly shifts and squeezes the air from his lungs. He could’ve sworn...No. He must’ve just imagined it. Though there’s no one else around to make a sound, the quiet pitter-pat of the rain on the aged roof overhead is a constant source of noise. He could’ve easily heard something that wasn’t there. His squints in the direction of the sound again. Still nothing. Bucky takes a moment to settle himself. He'd imagined it. That's all.

 

But...where _is_ Steve?

 

Bucky casts his gaze around the area, looking for the telltale glow of Steve’s phone screen. He can’t see far beyond the barely-there pools of light emanating from the two street lamps. There’s no sign of Steve. Bucky wills himself not to panic as he looks over at the convenience store instead. The light inside casts a steady glow from large windows, illuminating the parking spaces lining the front of the store. Maybe Steve had decided to use the restroom without telling him. Which... is actually the most logical explanation (and the least scary one) that Bucky can come up with. That has to be it though. Bucky’s not going to let himself consider any other explanation because one, it’d be ridiculous to entertain anything else, and two, he _can’t_ fathom the notion of something happening to Steve. Especially when there's nothing dangerous out here anyway. Right. He gets back into the car and pulls into one of the parking spaces. There’s still no sign of Steve. 

 

“Everything’s fine,” Bucky whispers to himself, but pauses in opening the car door. He picks up his phone from the center cup holder before opening the car door carefully and stepping back out, shivering as the cold rain hits his face. “Bucky?” The voice literally makes Bucky jump a foot in the air.

 

“Fuck!” he swears and whirls around to find Steve standing behind him. Steve snorts in amusement at Bucky’s reaction and raises his hands innocently. “You scared the shit out of me!” Bucky accuses even as he covers the few steps between them and pulls Steve into his arms. “Christ, Stevie, warn a guy next time will you?”

 

Steve hugs him back, arms tight, body strong and familiar and comforting against Bucky’s front. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

 

Bucky sighs, holding Steve to him and willing his heart to stop racing. “It’s okay. Just on edge is all.”

 

“Yeah. Me too. This place is giving me the creeps.”

 

“Where were you?” Bucky asks, pulling back a little to look Steve over. _He’s fine,_ he tells himself. But he has to look all the same. 

 

Steve frowns, “I was over there the whole time. I came over when you moved the car.” He gestures towards the space around the streetlights by the gas station. A matching frown steals over Bucky’s face. That’d been the first place Bucky had looked when he’d thought he heard Steve’s voice. 

 

“You sure? I looked for you, but couldn’t see you.” 

 

Steve looks from the faint pools of light and back to Bucky. His brow furrows even more as his frown deepens. “Positive. Maybe my clothes are too dark or something.” Bucky knows just by looking at him that neither of them believe his words. There’s a hint of fear in Steve’s eyes though he’s obviously trying not to let it show. Bucky’s pretty sure Steve can see the same in his eyes. He suppresses the shiver that tries to make its way down his body and pulls Steve close again. Just for a moment. Just for that bit of comfort. Steve buries his face in the crook of Bucky’s neck and huffs out a breath.

 

“Yeah. That’s gotta be it.” The rain only falls harder, slowly soaking into their clothes. “Did you get anything?”

 

Bucky knows the answer before the question even leaves his mouth, but he asks for the sake of normalcy; to take their minds off the oddness of it all. He feels Steve shake his head. “I tried, but couldn’t get anything. We must’ve never paid attention to this area before.” Though he’d known the answer, Bucky still feels a little dejected by it. He rubs a soothing hand down Steve’s back and squints towards the highway. There’s not much to see, but the taillights of the cars stuck there are visible through the gloom. Still no sign of movement.

 

“Guess we’re stuck here for a while. There’s no point going back on the highway now.” He pulls away from Steve. “Come on, let’s go see if there’s a restroom in the back.” 

 

“Alright,” Steve agrees and goes to walk around the exterior of the store. At least they seem to be on the same page there. Though it’d probably make more sense to go through the store, Bucky gets the feeling that they shouldn’t. Despite the warm glow of the light inside, there hasn’t been a single suggestion of movement, no passing of a shadow across the window pane. It’s eerie is what it is. After pausing to make sure that he’s locked the car, Bucky follows behind Steve. 

 

There is a single occupancy restroom in the back with a dust covered light hanging over the doorway. The paint is peeling off the metal door in chunks and parts of it are rusted, but it seems to be okay. If anything, the wash of momentarily blinding light when Steve opens the door is actually kind of a welcomed reprieve after all this bleakness. The fluorescent bulb stretching across the ceiling, unlike everything else in this place, appears to be brand new. Bucky peers over Steve’s shoulder into the room and is somewhat surprised to find it relatively clean. He’d expected it to be grimy from disuse, disgusting even. “You go first,” he tells Steve. “I’ll wait outside.” 

 

Steve looks back at him and Bucky doesn’t miss the flash of uncertainty that crosses his face. It’s gone before Bucky has the chance to say anything though. “I’ll be quick,” Steve says. “Be careful.” 

 

“I’ll be right here,” Bucky promises and the door clicks shut behind Steve. Though he can still hear what’s going on behind the closed door, the sudden return to darkness makes Bucky wary almost immediately. He blinks a couple of times to make his eyes adjust to the dim light, then squints out towards what he assumes is another parking lot. None of the lights are working, so he can only see as far as the faint glow from the overhead light allows. There’s --

 

There’s someone out there. 

 

Bucky sucks in a surprised breath and rubs at his eyes. There’s someone out there. He can barely make it out, but there’s a person standing at the edge of where the light fades into shadows. Whoever it is is tall, limbs long and slender. Bucky can’t make out a face, or even which direction the figure is facing, but the longer he stares, the more he gets the distinct feeling of being watched. Unconsciously, his hands clench as if readying for a fight. The figure doesn’t move. It’s so still it might as well have been a statue. That all too familiar feeling of dread coils in Bucky’s stomach again as his heart thumps painfully in his chest. He has to work to keep his breathing even as a coldness steals over him, sending minute shivers through his body.

 

Behind him, the restroom door opens. With it, the flood of light. Bucky squeezes his eyes shut on reflex, and when he opens them again, Steve is next to him. “Bucky?”

 

“Shh!” Bucky squints out into the dark, but there’s no one there. Whatever he’d seen is gone.

 

“Bucky, what is it?” Steve asks, also peering out into the fog.

 

“I...I’m not sure,” Bucky says. He scans the empty lot and doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary, not even in the places now lit by the bathroom light. “I thought I saw someone out there.”

 

There’s a long pause as Steve takes this in. “Maybe someone else decided to come down here too.”

 

Bucky shakes his head. “I didn’t hear anyone.” God, maybe he’s going crazy from this trip. First he’d heard voices, now he’s seeing things. He glances at Steve and sees clearly the concern on Steve’s face, the worry drawing the corners of his lips down. It’s not a look that Bucky likes to see on his best guy. “It’s nothing. Probably just my eyes playing tricks on me,” Bucky amends. Of course, Steve hates being coddled and Bucky should probably tell him that it hadn’t _felt_ like nothing, but that would mean admitting out loud that there’s actually something to be worried about. There’s no real cause for concern. Really. 

 

“Bucky…” Steve admonishes, seeing right through him. 

“It’s fine, Steve. Seriously,” Bucky says, cutting him off. Something in his tone stops Steve from pressing for more. Normally, it wouldn’t even be this easy. After one last glance out at the empty parking lot, Bucky turns to head into the restroom. He stops at the threshold though, and looks back at Steve, then out further. Though he doesn’t say anything, Steve follows him inside and closes the door behind them. The click of the lock is too loud in Bucky’s ears. 

 

It’s a little cramped in the bathroom with both of them in there, but they’ve fit into smaller spaces together before. Though it’s really not necessary, Steve turns to face the wall as Bucky does his business. It makes Bucky roll his eyes in fond exasperation. Barely a few seconds later, Steve’s shoulders are visibly shaking and Bucky would’ve been worried if not for the faint giggles that start echoing around the small room. “Are you laughing at me, punk?” Bucky gripes as he tucks himself away and flushes the toilet. Steve turns to him and immediately bursts out laughing at the miffed look on Bucky’s face. “What?” Instead of answering, Steve laughs some more. 

 

Huffing, Bucky washes his hands and splashes some water on his face as he waits for Steve to get it together. “Oh my god, what’s your problem?” Bucky groans when Steve’s laughter doesn’t stop. He’s leaning on the wall for support now, face red. Bucky stares at him, flabbergasted for a few moments, but then allows himself to grin at the sight. Sue him, he likes seeing his baby flushed and laughing. Even if his laughter is starting to take on a slightly hysterical edge. 

 

“Oh god,” Steve gasps out when his laughter has died down to giggles, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He rubs at his eyes then looks at Bucky, lashes wet with mirth. “I couldn’t help it. I just had this mental image of us hiding in the bathroom and it just seemed so funny. Two big, grown-ass men hiding in a tiny bathroom because it’s dark outside.” This sets him giggling hysterically again until his laughter turns into coughs. 

 

Bucky huffs out a laugh of his own at the image that Steve had described, then moves to pat Steve on the back as he tries to breathe through the equal mix of giggling and coughing. “You’re such a dork,” Bucky teases, the unease in his stomach momentarily dispelled by Steve’s laughter. Luckily, this isn’t one of Steve’s coughing fits and it doesn’t take much to make them stop. When he straightens, Steve’s face is still flushed, his eyes bright with amusement. Bucky takes this all in with another grin. Here in the bright light of the bathroom with a door between them and whatever’s outside, their whole predicament suddenly doesn’t seem like such a big deal. They’re just on a little adventure on the way to a family gathering. It can’t be all bad if they can still smile and laugh and have a little fun. 

 

“At least we’ll have a good story to tell when we get to my parents’ huh?” Bucky says. 

 

“I hope they’re not too worried,” Steve comments, but he’s smiling still. 

 

Bucky reaches out and pulls him close, hands on his waist. “Nah, it’s not too late yet. We can hang out here for a bit, get something to eat. Hopefully we can get back on the road soon and call once we’re out of the dead zone.” It’s gotta be near dinner time now but the gathering isn’t until tomorrow anyway. They’ll just be late to the slumber party. “Come here, gimme a kiss. I’m hungry.” Unsurprisingly, Steve swats at him playfully for the comment.

 

“And you call me a dork.” Bucky hauls him in for the kiss instead of responding to the jab. The soft press of Steve’s lips to his is the most comforting in the world. Everything else ceases to exist. Bucky sighs into the kiss when the tension from the excessively trying day drains out of his body. Lord, maybe they should just stay in here for however long it takes for traffic to clear. Wouldn’t that be something else to laugh about. 

 

Unfortunately, Bucky’s body has other plans. His stomach chooses the moment to grumble loudly. Steve pulls back with a giggle at the sound and Bucky pouts after him. “Nature calls,” Steve teases. 

 

Bucky reels him back in for another quick peck. “Punk.” 

 

“You know it.” 

 

They untangle themselves and turn together to face the door. Just the sight of it is enough to set Bucky on edge again. The tension that had bled out of his muscles settles back in as if it never even left. He supposes it hadn’t really, not long enough to matter anyway. “Let’s see if the store has anything?” Steve says, voice lifting at the end in question. The thought of going into the store still makes Bucky’s skin crawl. Maybe Steve feels the same way. 

 

But. They don’t really have any other options at the moment. Bucky nods in agreement then takes a step to the door. “Come on.” The door unlocks with another loud click, but doesn’t make a sound when Bucky pushes it open with one hand. He peers out into the night, but can’t see anything beyond the faint glow of light. Behind him, Steve takes his other hand and holds on tight. Neither of them say anything, but Bucky squeezes his hand in reassurance. He goes to open the door further, then can’t quite bring himself to do it. His heart is already racing again and he’s having to force himself to keep calm. For a long moment, Bucky can’t move. Then his stomach rumbles again, snapping him out of his train of thought.

 

Really. This is ridiculous. Bucky huffs a small laugh under his breath. “Christ,” he mutters, “we really are two grown-ass men hiding in a bathroom.” His voice must carry because Steve chuckles behind him. The noise is enough to get Bucky moving. He pushes the door open and steps out. It’s as quiet outside the bathroom as it was before - no sign of movement from anyone or anything. The rain has let up some, but it’s still coming down in a small drizzle. “See? Everything’s fine.” 

 

Still, he can’t help but tighten his grip on Steve’s hand when the restroom door swings shut behind them, effectively stealing back the light it’d provided. Bucky forces himself to not think about it, instead taking it as incentive to move toward the front door of the store where it’s brightly lit. Steve falls into step next to him. He doesn’t say anything. The store entrance is just around the corner of the building up ahead. Somehow, it feels farther away than that. A couple of steps in, Bucky’s questioning his sanity again. He can see the corner up ahead, but they don’t seem to be getting any closer. It’s like they’re walking in slow motion.

 

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Bucky sees something move.

 

He stops in his tracks the same moment that Steve does. “Did you see that?” Bucky whispers as he squints out into the dark. The light over the restroom door is barely reaching them at this point. 

 

“I --” Steve starts to say, but Bucky doesn’t hear anything after that first word. His ears are suddenly filled with a high pitched ringing and that same feeling of being watched steals over him again. Steve makes a noise of distress. Maybe Bucky’s gripping his hand too tight.

 

“Who’s there?” Bucky calls out, making his voice project to sound braver than he feels at the moment. No one answers. Nothing moves. 

 

Several breaths pass as Bucky waits for a response, eyes and ears straining to make out something in the shadows. When there’s still nothing, he turns to look at Steve but doesn’t let down his guard. 

 

“Did you see --” Bucky asks, trailing off when he realizes that Steve is shaking. “Stevie?” He grabs Steve by the shoulders. Steve shakes his head, but Bucky can’t see his expression. 

 

“Buck,” Steve whispers, voice strained. The dread in Bucky’s stomach is immediately replaced with worry even as his mind is yelling at him to remain alert, to be aware of their surroundings. “Buck, I don’t feel so good.” It’s one of the few times in his life that Steve’s ever stated something like this so plainly. He never admits to feeling bad, to needing help. This more than anything else on this stupid night sets off the alarm bells in Bucky’s head. (Steve was fine just a few minutes ago!) He holds Steve at arms length, squinting hard at his face. It’s too dark. 

 

They need to move. They need to get into the store. Back to their car.

 

But Steve’s trembling all over and Bucky’s not sure he _can_. “What is it?” Bucky asks. “What’s wrong?” His voice sounds frantic even to his own ears. Steve shakes his head, but the movement is sluggish and uncoordinated. The image is so, so wrong. 

 

“Dunno,” Steve mumbles, listing sideways to lean against the rough wall of the store. “Dizzy. Feel sick.” _Shit._. Bucky reaches out on instinct and gathers Steve close, taking his weight off the wall and onto himself. _What is happening?_ His insides feel like ice and there’s no denying the fear threatening to burst out. But he has to be strong for both of them. He has to because Steve’s shaking in his arms and his chest is rising and falling rapidly like he can’t catch his breath.

 

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Bucky soothes, keeping his voice steady, rubbing his hand up and down Steve’s back a couple of times. “You’re probably dehydrated. Or maybe your blood sugar is too low. Let’s get into the store and get something to drink and eat okay? It’s not too far. It’s just around the corner. Can you walk, baby?” Steve’s breathing hard against Bucky’s front, still trembling, but he manages a small nod.

 

“Yes,” he whispers, and doesn’t protest when Bucky shifts to wrap an arm around his waist for support when they start walking towards the front of the store again. Despite being slowed down by Steve this time, the trek to the front of the store is exactly as short as Bucky remembers it to be. It takes only a few unsteady steps before the two of them are awash with the warm glow of the light inside the store. Ignoring the peculiar sensation of being watched, Bucky yanks open the door with his free hand and ushers Steve inside ahead of him, following close. Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be anything unsettling or dangerous in the store upon first impression. There’s two booths to the right of the entrance and Bucky wastes no time in shoving Steve into one of them. 

 

Steve immediately folds his arms on the surprisingly clean tabletop and puts his head down on them. A shudder works its way down his body and he gags softly. Bucky frowns in concern, smoothing his hand down Steve’s back then kneading gently at his neck and shoulders to relieve the uncomfortable tension. Steve’s skin is slightly clammy to the touch, and he doesn’t respond to Bucky’s touch. Some of the tension does drain out of his shoulders though, so Bucky takes that as a positive sign. He should probably find something for them to eat and drink, but he continues his ministrations, trying to make sure Steve is more comfortable before doing anything else. When Steve doesn’t make any other sounds of distress, Bucky turns his attention to the rest of the store. 

 

They’re the only ones here. 

 

The store is eerily quiet, with no other sound other than the quiet hum of the glass-door refrigerators against one wall. Most of the items in the store are fully in stock - either recently stocked or never been touched. Bucky would guess the former simply for the fact that everything seems fresh out of packages rather than covered in the dust that would’ve undoubtedly collected from lack of disturbance. He allows the observation to bring him a small spark of relief. Maybe this place isn’t usually like this. Beside him, Steve shifts and takes a deep shuddery breath and Bucky returns his attention to him, worry igniting anew.

 

But Steve...looks fine. Bucky blinks in confusion as he takes him in. Though a little pale, Steve is sitting up and alert with no signs of shakiness or discomfort. The only indication that anything had been amiss at all is the way he, too, is blinking in confusion. When their eyes meet, they trade identical looks of wariness and barely controlled disquiet. Steve shrugs helplessly when Bucky frowns at him. “I...I don’t know what happened. One moment I felt like I was going to be sick and the next I was fine.” A frown etches onto his face, mirroring Bucky’s expression.

 

Bucky considers this for a long moment, looking Steve up and down. The situation is disturbingly similar to what had happened back on the highway when the man (thing?) had been standing next to their car. But that had to be pure coincidence right? Afterall, Steve’s health wasn’t 100% to begin with. Maybe he’s just having moments of temporary relapse. Lord knows there’s been enough stimulation to potentially push a recently very sick and barely recovered body back into having symptoms. Yea. That has to be it. 

 

Yet, there’s something nagging in the back of his mind, some thought that’s more impression than actual words. He feels like he’s missing something. Steve really does look fine, but looks can be deceiving.

 

“I don’t like this, Steve.” Bucky doesn’t elaborate, but he thinks Steve feels the same if the expression on his face is anything to go by. “Let’s just grab a couple of things and go. We can wait in the car until the traffic starts moving again.” Steve nods, a furrow of worry between his brows. It feels a little ridiculous, but Bucky can’t wait to retreat to their car. As if the car would somehow protect them from...from what? Strange things had happened in the car too. It’s hardly a safe haven. But still. Bucky would rather they go back to the car than stay in the store...and just standing outside really isn’t an option when he’s more than halfway convinced that there’s something out there toying with them.

 

He glances around the empty store again then back down at Steve. “You sure you’re okay?” Steve nods and stands up to prove it. 

 

“I’m good,” he says, confident. After a moment, Bucky decides that he looks it too. “Wanna go get the drinks and I’ll get the food?” Bucky tilts his head in agreement and turns to the row of refrigerators. He quickly grabs a couple of bottles of water and a few energy drinks before heading up to the counter, picking up a few packets of snacks and candy he goes. Who knows how much longer they’ll have to wait? It’ll be good to have something to munch on. 

 

Steve meets him at the counter not a few minutes after, and it really isn’t until they’re both there that Bucky realizes their oversight. There’s no one manning the store. How are they supposed to pay for the food? “Uh…,” Bucky says, mainly to himself, dropping his armful of stuff onto the counter, gesturing for Steve to do the same. Behind the counter is a closed door marked “Employees Only”, which Bucky assumes to be the employee lounge. It’s firmly closed and there’s no sounds from within. He’s just contemplating hopping over the counter to knock when Steve suddenly grabs his arm.

 

“Bucky, look!” Bucky follows the direction of Steve’s gaze to a bank of monitors stashed into a corner behind the counter. Old TV screens are filled with black and white footage from what’s most likely a number of security cameras both inside and outside the store. There’s footage from the gas station, an overhead view of the two old pumps. On another screen, the back of the store is in view, the restroom door and a small section of the empty parking lot on display. Most of the screens depict images too dark to decipher, but as Bucky squints at the last few, he can clearly make out their car on one screen (camera out front) and the interior of the store on the last two. A shiver works its way down his back for the nth time that night. The TV screens with the clearest images are all of the places that he and Steve had been in. Though it seems like there’s no one here, no one manning the store, Bucky can’t shake the unease in his gut. They could’ve so easily been watched this whole time.

 

As it is, there’s a camera pointed directly at them. Bucky and Steve look up at the same time towards the mounted device on the ceiling to their right. A red light blinks from below its lense, most likely signifying that the device is live. Sure enough, when Bucky squints back at the TV screens, he finds one screen displaying the image of both of them standing at the counter. “Someone has to be here,” Steve comments next to him. “Someone has to be running the place.”

 

On another screen, something moves.

 

Bucky shakes his head, then looks again, eyes wide. “Steve,” he says, quiet but insistent, immediately getting Steve’s attention. 

 

“What is it?”

 

“Thought I saw something move.” No sooner than the words had left his mouth before something moves again. This time on a different screen. The first time, Bucky could’ve passed it off as just his eyes playing tricks on him, but this time, he’s certain of it. Steve makes a small noise of surprise under his breath, and they both lean slightly over the counter to get a better look. Whatever had moved isn’t visible on the screen, but the monitor showing the empty parking lot flickers, its image briefly distorting in lines of pixelation. Bucky squints into the darkness on screen and sees…

 

It's the same figure from before. Even slightly distorted, there's no mistaking the long limbs, the emptiness of its face, the way its image makes Bucky’s skin crawl with a bone chilling dread. As they watch, the figure moves out of the frame, only to appear on another screen moments later. Though he’d somewhat expected it, Bucky startles slightly as the figure appears in the corner of another screen, slowly walking into the frame. It comes to a stop under the gas pump, unmoving. Just as it had before, the single lightbulb there flickers as if in warning. Then, as they watch, the light burns out, leaving the screen dark. 

 

“Shit,” Steve breathes quietly as Bucky strains to see the figure without the flickering bulb. Movement out of the corner of another screen catches his eye and he startles to see the figure moving into frame in front of the camera trained on their car. Goosebumps ripple across his skin as the figure fleshes out of the shadows to a standstill next to the vehicle. With a sinking feeling, Bucky slowly turns to look out the front doors of the store. It’s like some scene out of a horror movie. He’s half expecting to see a face peering back at him through the glass, but the only face he sees is his own. It’s too bright inside the store to see anything other than their reflections on the window. This does nothing to dissipate the ball of anxiety in Bucky’s stomach. They can’t see out, but someone could definitely see in.

 

The door rattles suddenly as if blown by a strong gust of wind. Bucky jumps in surprise and stumbles backwards into Steve who steadies him with a firm hand on his back. “Buck?” Steve asks, voice tight with unease, but before Bucky has the chance to say anything, the door rattles again, jarring with its racket, vibrating on its hinges as if someone were trying to get in. But the door isn’t locked. They’d come through it earlier. On instinct alone, Bucky glances around the store, looking for anything he and Steve could use as weapons. Just as his gaze lands on the fire extinguisher resting by the counter, the rattling stops. The sudden silence is deafening. 

 

For a few long seconds, Bucky doesn’t dare move, doesn’t breathe. With his whole body thrumming with adrenaline, Bucky slides his gaze back to the bank of monitors. The figure is no longer visible on the screen it’d occupied earlier, but Bucky barely has the chance to _consider_ letting out a sigh of relief before another screen catches his eye. 

 

He wishes it hadn’t.

 

Onscreen, there are three figures. One Steve. One Bucky. One slender and faceless man ( _thing_ ) standing behind them.

 

Ice-cold terror shoots through Bucky like electricity and he freezes momentarily, too afraid to turn around. Beside him, Steve has the opposite reaction. Before Bucky can react, he feels rather than sees Steve whirl around to face whatever is at their back. _Damn punk. Too brave for his own good._. Bucky follows his lead, of course, unwilling to let Steve face whatever it alone. 

 

Only.

 

There’s nothing there.

 

“What --” Bucky starts, blinking in confusion at the empty store then looking over at Steve. Steve has his fists raised, but lowers them when he catches Bucky’s eyes. It’s obvious that both of them had seen the figure onscreen behind them. But it’s also obvious that there’s no one else in the store with them.

 

“What the heck is going on?” Steve asks, sounding both annoyed and afraid at the same time. Bucky shakes his head, wills his heart to stop pounding so loud in chest, and fails to give an answer. Then, another abrupt noise has him flinching and instinctively reaching out for Steve, pulling him close.

 

Behind them, the employee’s door opens and Bucky spins around to find one of the ugliest men he’s ever seen standing behind the counter in a haphazardly buttoned store uniform. He’s middle aged, short, and already balding. Zola, his name tag reads. A peculiar sense of nausea and dread chills Bucky to the core when the little man peers keenly up at them with beady little eyes framed by thin wire frame glasses. Something in him screams for him to get away, but the sudden shock of seeing another person has rooted him to the spot.

 

As if he can sense the curdling unease in Bucky, Steve maneuvers himself so that he’s standing in between the clerk and Bucky, shielding him from the man’s unsettling gaze. Steve takes a steadying breath, back to Bucky’s front, his body tense. “Sir, could you,” he says, waving at their stuff on the counter. Zola looks from them to the various items and back before slowly moving to scan their things into the computer. 

 

“I did not hear you come in,” Zola comments, his English accented, European sounding. Bucky’s not sure why hearing the man’s voice makes him want to crawl out of his skin. “I was listening to the radio.” Bucky frowns as Steve shifts slightly in front of him. They hadn’t heard a radio in the back, but that could mean a number of things. There’s an awkward pause, broken only by the beep of the scanner as Zola waved each item in front of it before placing them in a plastic bag.

 

“Do you know what’s happening on the highway?” Steve asks.

 

Zola pauses in his work to look Steve up and down, then past him at Bucky. His eyes gleam for a moment and Bucky wants to throw up in his mouth. Steve glances back at him briefly, body more tense than ever, but Bucky nods minutely to show he’s okay. “There was a bad accident,” Zola says after a moment. “Very bad. It will take a long time to go away.” Zola finishes bagging the items and Steve steps forward to pay while Bucky stays back, watching Steve’s back. He ignores the beady little eyes on him and silently urges Steve to hurry so they could get the hell out of the store.

 

“Thank you,” Steve says when he takes the bag and steps away from the counter. Bucky is already side stepping towards the door, keeping an eye on Zola, when Steve moves in step with him. One look at Steve’s face and Bucky can tell Steve wants out of there just as much as him. They’re at the door when Zola speaks up behind them.

 

“You are welcomed to stay and wait,” he comments nonchalantly. The hair on the back of Bucky’s neck raises despite the benign tone. 

 

“We’re fine,” Steve says quickly and opens the door for them, letting Bucky go out first, following close. Their car is exactly where they left it parked in front of the store. Bucky takes a deep breath, calming himself. Steve does the same next to him. The door closes behind them with a soft click. And it really isn’t until then that Bucky suddenly remembers. 

 

There’s something else here with them.

 

Sure enough, when he raises his eyes to look, the figure from before is there, standing beyond the edge between shadow and light. Bucky can’t make out its features, and really, seeing it without the distortion of a camera lens is so much worse than he could’ve imagined. It doesn’t move, but Bucky doesn’t doubt it has every intention to.

 

“Buck?” Steve whispers, uncertain. Bucky can’t chance a look at him, can’t take his eyes off the thing standing out in the dark. It moves then, limbs gangly but not awkward, almost as if were gliding across the ground. His brain screams at him to run, to hide, but trapped between the thing and the store at his back, Bucky doesn’t think he can. Instead, he watches, mesmerized as the figure approaches. It’s almost at the edge of the light streaming from the store. 

 

Then, it pauses. The lights go out.

 

Bucky reels in the sudden darkness, blinking hard to adjust his eyes. His hand automatically reaches for Steve and Steve reaches back. They hold onto each other tight, breaths starting to come in quick succession , as they peer anxiously into the night. The figure is still there. Its body darker than the shadows itself. Bucky’s heart pounds painfully fast in his chest, his hand tightens impossibly more around Steve’s. Without warning, the figure suddenly drops to all fours in front of them. And as they gape in horror, it _scurries_ forward _towards_ them.

 

“Run!” In a moment of blind panic, Bucky’s flight or fight response kicks in and he’s lunging for the car, dragging Steve behind him with one hand while fumbling for the car keys with the other. Fuck no is waiting to see the thing up close. By some miracle, he unlocks the car before they get there and both of them scramble for their respective doors on pure instinct. They dive into their seats and Bucky locks the doors before the sound of them slamming shut has even faded. For a moment, Bucky thinks they’re gonna die right here. He squeezes his eyes shut and holds onto Steve again. 

 

But moments pass, and they don’t die. Whatever it was that had come at them doesn’t reappear. Slowly, chest heaving with adrenaline, Bucky opens his eyes and chances a glance around. The light from the store is on again, and there’s no sign of the thing anywhere. “Holy fucking shit,” Bucky says under his breath. 

 

Steve’s hard breathing suddenly turns into coughs that won’t stop, and Bucky’s just turning to him in concern when he starts wheezing loudly for breath. The grating sound is all too familiar. “Shit!” Bucky curses as Steve fumbles clumsily for the glovebox and his inhaler that’s in there, but he’s shaking too hard to get a grip on the handle. Bucky shoves his hand aside and gets it open. “Stevie, let me. Let me. I got you.” He rummages for a second before closing his hand around the small device. Using more strength than probably necessary, Bucky holds Steve upright and fits the inhaler to his mouth. He cups his other hand around the side of Steve’s neck, brushing his thumb soothingly over Steve’s jaw. Steve grips his forearm for support.

 

“I got you. Come on, Stevie, work with me. I got you.” Bucky depresses the inhaler with precise timing, honed from years of practice. Steve holds his breath as the medicine reaches his lungs, letting it out after a few seconds. It takes another two rounds before his breath is coming easier, the harsh wheezing dying down to a faint whistle. 

 

“Buck -,” Steve gasps, eyes damp from the strain, but Bucky shushes him. 

 

“Shh, don’t try to talk yet, it’s okay. You’re okay,” Bucky soothes, twisting in his seat and pulling Steve towards him, brushing kisses all over Steve’s face. “We’ll be okay.” Wrapping an arm around Steve’s shoulders, Bucky pulls him into an awkward hug, but Steve sags into him in exhaustion. He looks out the window toward the highway to see if there’s been any movement and sees the long line of red tail-lights still bright on the road. They’ll have to wait longer. Bucky considers their options then reaches over to turn the ignition. He’d rather idle the car for airflow than to crack open the windows. Whatever had been out there could still be out there and he feels a little safer in the car with the doors and windows locked. The sound of the engine coming to life is actually comforting and Bucky takes a moment to just breathe before moving again. 

 

He nudges Steve off of him gently. “Hey, you up for moving to the backseat? It’s more comfortable.” 

 

Though Steve looks a little frayed around the edges (Bucky knows he probably does too), he still manages a tired quirk of his lips. “As long as you don’t get handsy,” he gripes softly, still a little breathless. Bucky doesn’t bother hiding his smile, relieved that Steve is okay enough to sass him already. It’s a little tricky climbing into the backseat since both of them are fairly large men, but luckily they also have a spacious SUV. 

 

They snack on their recently bought food for a bit before hunkering down together. Neither of them say much, too wrung out to carry a conversation. Too bewildered at all that had happened. Instead, they stay pressed together for comfort, then cuddle close when it’s obvious it’s getting late. Bucky doesn’t think he can sleep, but he knows Steve is exhausted from his asthma attack. That on top of the lingering symptoms of his pneumonia has him out cold the moment Bucky pulls him close, settling him in the vee of his legs so that he’s lying back on Bucky’s chest. Bucky presses a kiss to the top of Steve’s head and holds him just a little tighter. Two hour later, lulled by the comforting weight of Steve against him and being more tired than he had thought, Bucky closes his eyes too. If anything were to happen, it probably would’ve happened by now. It’s probably safe to drift off for a little while.

 

///

 

When Bucky wakes, it’s sunlight, not artificial light that’s streaming through the windows. He blinks blearily for a moment, groaning softly. So much for taking a short nap. He’d slept through the night. Steve is still sound asleep. Looking down, Bucky can’t help but smile adoringly at how Steve’s curled up slightly in sleep so that his face is turned into the soft fabric of Bucky’s shirt. Bucky runs a hand gently through Steve’s hair and breathes in deep. They’re okay. 

 

The thought had barely crossed his mind when someone taps on the window. Startled, Bucky jumps and lets out a squeak of horror, his mind immediately conjuring up images of the slender, faceless man-thing from last night. In the tight circle of his arms, Steve jolts awake with a sharp inhale and both of them look out to see… _not_ the thing from before but a woman with red hair. She’s peering into their car, hands cupped around her face to block out the light, frowning in concern.

 

“Are you guys okay?” The woman asks loudly. Wide-eyed, Bucky nods while Steve scrambles off of him to roll down the window. It takes a second, as Bucky had to disengage the locks from the from the front. “Are you guys alright?” The red-headed woman asks again when the window opens.

 

“We’re fine,” Steve says cautiously. Sharp green eyes look them over critically, searching for something. Bucky almost wants to reach out and pull Steve back, though he also gets the feeling that she’s not a threat to them. A tense moment passes between them, then she nods to herself. 

 

“Just wanted to check,” she says, lips curling wryly. “Your engine was on.” It’s an odd sort of explanation. One that Bucky doesn’t quite understand, but he nods in acknowledgement just the same. If she’s here, then that means there has to be some movement on the highway. It’s high time they get out of here.

 

“Thank you,” Steve says, ever polite. She nods coolly and leaves them just as abruptly as she’d appeared. Bucky watches her retreating back, and thinks it’s a fitting end to their strange night. “That was weird,” Steve comments as he rolls up the window, looking over his shoulder at Bucky.

 

Bucky shrugs. He can only agree. “Let’s get out of here yeah?”

 

“God, thought you’d never ask,” Steve quips. He makes a face though. “I have to use the restroom first.” Bucky does too, but he’d been hoping they wouldn’t have to. He makes a show of looking outside...and is surprised to see that there are actually people milling about, other cars in the parking lots. Huh.

 

“Yeah, come on. It’s broad daylight. Nothing to be afraid of.” Steve narrows his eyes at him and Bucky shoves him lightly. “Hey, you were just as scared. Don’t laugh at me.” Instead of shoving back as per usual, Steve’s shoulders hunch a little and he looks down.

 

“I was,” he says quietly. Bucky frowns and scoots over to pull him close again.

 

“We’re okay. That’s all that matters,” Bucky comforts. Steve nods against his shoulder and they sit there for a few moments before finding the strength to move. Reaching into the front, Bucky turns off the ignition and unlocks the doors. They pile out of one side of the car, and it’s so good to feel sunlight on his face after all that gloom and fog yesterday. 

 

The first thing Bucky does is look towards the highway. It’s clear. He can see the cars whipping past with no sign of traffic jam. That more than anything allows him to breathe a sigh of relief. They make a beeline for the restroom and make quick use of it without letting their attention wander. It isn’t until they’ve made it back to the car that Bucky promptly bumps into Steve, who’s standing stock still and staring at the store. “What is it?” he asks when Steve doesn’t move. Frowning, Bucky follows his gaze to the convenience store in front of them -- and pauses in confusion.

 

All the windows and doors have been boarded up haphazardly with planks of wood. The parts of the windows visible through them are cracked, broken. Inside, what’s visible of the shelves are nearly bare and covered in a thick layer of dust. Overhead, the security camera keeping watch over the front of the store is hanging by a couple of wires, it’s fixture broken. The whole place looks as though it’s been abandoned a long time ago.

 

Bucky blinks and blinks again, but the scene remains the same. Unbelievable. He takes a step forward, holds tight to Steve’s arm, and wracks his brain for an explanation. There’s no way the place would’ve gotten like this overnight, right? No way. “What happened?” Bucky breathes.

 

“We were in there last night,” Steve says adamantly. “We bought food. We _ate_ the food.” He gestures at their car, and yeah, Bucky can see the store bag along with various wrappers in the back. Shaking his head, Bucky opens his mouth to offer an explanation that he doesn’t have. He doesn’t get the chance to. The red-headed woman from before is back, (presumably from the bathroom). She peers at them curiously, then at the store.

 

“It’s been like this for ages,” she says, shrugging one shoulder. “Couple years back the store clerk was murdered in there. A couple of subsequent employees all quit, claiming the place to be haunted. No one’s wanted to work here since.”

 

Bucky tries to process this information, a million questions tumbling uselessly around in his head. “Did...did they ever catch the murderer?” he finds himself asking. 

 

“No,” the woman says, “the security cameras were wiped and there wasn’t much evidence to go off of. It was a strange case.”

 

Steve sucks in a breath. “And the clerk?”

 

“Some middle aged guy with a foreign name if I remember correctly.” Bucky shudders at the memory of the store clerk from last night. 

 

“Zola,” he exhales shakily. Steve stiffens next to him. The red-headed woman gives him a curious look. 

 

“Yeah,” she says, “I think that was it.” And...Bucky doesn’t know what to do with that. “What were you guys doing here?” 

 

“There was an accident,” Bucky states. “We were stuck and needed gas.” He tugs on Steve’s arm and tilts his head towards the car when Steve glances at him. The woman makes an indiscernible sound, non committal, but there’s a strange light to her green eyes that gives Bucky reason to think she knows more than she’s letting on.

 

“Sorry, we have to go,” Steve says. “We’re really late for an event.” 

 

“Of course.” She nods coolly again and they move to their respective sides. Bucky opens the door to the driver’s seat and climbs in without looking back. Steve does the same on the passenger side. He puts the car in reverse and pulls away from the abandoned store and the strange woman as fast as he dared, only glancing once at them in the rearview mirror.

 

They’re halfway up the ramp to the highway when Bucky’s phone rings, the sound amplified through the Bluetooth connection to the car speakers. “We’re in a dead zone!” Steve exclaims even as Bucky presses the button on the steering wheel to pick up the call. His sister’s voice comes through, loud and clear. 

 

“Bucky, where are you guys?” Becca asks without preamble. “Mom’s worried sick!”

 

“Becca!” Bucky crows, relieved beyond measure. He has to flounder for an answer though, and looks to Steve for input. Steve raises his brows and shrugs helplessly. Who’s going to believe them? “It’s...a long story, Becca. We’re on our way. Tell Mom to stop worrying.”

 

If she can hear the slightly off quality to his voice, she doesn’t comment. “Okay, hurry up. We’re going to start without you if you don’t get here soon. Tell Steve I said hi!” Becca hangs up before Bucky can get a response in. Then they’re merging onto the highway and cruising at a comfortable speed, no sign of anything amiss. Steve pokes at the radio and it tunes to a station without fail, the sound clear and undisturbed by static. 

 

Bucky glances over at him, sees the incredulous look on his face, and has to laugh. Reaching over, he takes Steve’s hand in his and allows himself to chuckle hysterically for a few moments. It takes a moment, but Steve breaks into breathless giggles next to him. “What even,” Bucky laughs, disturbed and unsettled, but relieved.

Left behind, the wind whistles through the cracked panes of the store window. A monitor screen flickers briefly to life, an image of a slender, faceless thing blinks into existence, then disappears. The screen goes dark.

 

~fin~

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> [Tumblr](www.nostalgia-in-starlight.tumblr.com)


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